Amber and yellow weather warnings for heavy rainfall have been issued for York and North Yorkshire.
An amber rain warning has been issued by the Met Office for Tuesday and Wednesday, covering the area just south west of York and including Selby and Tadcaster.
Those living in this area have been told to expect potential “heavy rainfall combined with some snowmelt across the hills”, which is likely to lead to flooding.
It warns of “danger to life” due to fast-flowing or deep floodwater – with delays and cancellations to public transport and a “good chance some communities cut off by flooded roads”.
A yellow rain alert is also in place for most of northern England, including York and North Yorkshire, for Tuesday to Thursday.
The Met Office said this was because of an area of “low pressure” set to move in on Monday evening.
Flood warnings
Martin Christmas, the environment agency operations manager, told the Telegraph online: “The thaw is here, so we have snowmelt topping up the rivers across Yorkshire, and more importantly we have a system of frontal rain coming through on Tuesday morning.
“We are likely to be issuing a number of flood warnings and the flood event duration is likely to last through to Thursday. Starting to the pennine catchments to impact on the lower rivers including the River Ouse in York, the Lower Don and the Aire.”
The Environment Agency has issued a Medium Risk for the city and county for Tuesday to Thursday, meaning ‘flooding is expected – be prepared’.
And three flood warnings already in place around York.
Firstly, the River Ouse at York had hit at 3.27m at the Viking Recorder on Sunday night at 11.30pm. Above 3m flooding of riverside properties is possible.
And the level is expected to remain high today and tomorrow. The Foss Barrier is in operation.
The River Ouse at Naburn Lock had reached 2.82m at 11:30pm Sunday. “Further rainfall is forecast from Monday evening onwards 18th January and could see levels start to increase,” says the Environment Agency.
And there’s a flood warning in place at the River Derwent at Stamford Bridge.
Here, the area most at risk is Weir Caravan Park